Back-to-school resources
Lessons for the new school year including plans for icebreakers, business basics, and absolute beginners.
On this page, you’ll find a wealth of theoretical and practical resources designed to help ease you into the new school year and make the most of the back-to-school weeks. Whether you need to break the ice with your new groups, find ideas for the first classes or simply get some inspiration, we’ve got all you need to give you a stress-free start!
Skills-based resources
Flashcards: In the classroom (US)
An American English set of flashcards on the topic of classroom objects to print and use in class.
Flashcards: In the classroom (UK)
A British English set of flashcards on the topic of classroom objects to print and use in class.
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Live from London: How well do you know each other?
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Live from London: First impressions
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Describing your neighbour
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Celebrations: Firsts
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Speaking: Holiday activities
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Absolute Beginners
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Business Basics
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Speaking: Would I lie to you?
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Business skills bank: Preparing for a first meeting: Part 1
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Business first lessons: A lesson plan
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First meetings and introductions
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Speaking skills lesson plans: First day: worksheet/teacher's notes - all levels
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Speaking: First class mingle
Teenagers
Impressions: True identities
In this lesson, students will name personal objects and use personal objects to identify themselves.
Impressions: Friends
Students discuss what qualities are important in a friend and do a questionnaire about friendship.
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Impressions: First impressions
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Impressions: Notice board
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Let's get personal
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Spot on news lessons for teens: One school, 71 languages
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Spot on news lessons for teens: School of hope
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Video projects
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Celebrations: Firsts
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What's your name?
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Beyond: Arts and Media: Literary lives
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A Time to Travel
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Owl Hall: Episode 1: Arrival
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Teenagers: Warmers
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One World Magazine project
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Beyond: Knowledge: Learning
Methodology, tips and stories
Digital criteria
In this series, Michelle McDonnell-de Graaf looks at how to choose and implement the right digital tools for your classroom.
Challenges in ELT
Welcome to Challenges in ELT. In this series of articles, teachers from around the world tackle the current and pressing issues in English language teaching.
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First steps into ... tips and lesson ideas: Using digital to support students who are learning at different paces
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First steps into ... The ‘Four Cs’
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First steps into ... Blended Learning
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First steps into ... Digital Literacy
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First steps into ... Flipped Learning
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First steps into: Emerging pedagogies for ELT
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Handling conflict
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First steps into ... tips and lesson ideas: Student collaboration in and out of the classroom
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First steps into ... tips and lesson ideas: Making effective use of classroom time
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First steps into ... tips and lesson ideas: Encouraging independent practice for 21st century learning
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Blended Learning
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First steps into ... tips and lesson ideas: Using digital content for the right learning outcome
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Survival Guide: Troubleshooting
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Survival Guide: Surviving technology
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Survival Guide: Surviving teaching in companies
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Methodology: Survival Guide: The emergency activity file
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Survival Guide: Culture shock
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Survival Guide: Surviving young learners
Children
First day: First lesson games
A selection of games and activities to use in your first lesson with your young learners. These activities are intended to help students familiarize themselves with you, the classroom and each other.
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First day: First lesson speaking activities
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Young Learners: Classroom management
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First day: First classes with young learners
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Managing children positively
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Introductions
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Selections level 2: Anna's first day
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Trying New Things
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Selections level 1: Little Milly-Molly
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Ready for School
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Beginning reading and writing: Introducing letters
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Beginning vocabulary: Presenting new vocabulary
